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of  tl)e 

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Collection  of  jRortfi  Carolmfana 


Cp6 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00036746904 


HIS  TITLE  HAS  HEEN  WiCaOFiUvlj 


JAMES  MENZIES  SPRUNT, 


BORN  AT 


Perth,  Scotland,  January  14th,  1818, 


DIED  AT 


Kenansville,  N.  C,  Dec.  6th,  1884. 


'  'Mark  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the  upright :  for  the  end  of  that  man 
is  peace.'" 


WIIvMINGTON,  N.  C: 
D^ROSSKT  &  MEArES,  Printers,  Publishers  and  Binders. 
1885. 


\  , 
/ 


4' 

4 


A  DISCOURSE 

DELIVERED  AT 

Union  Church,  Faison,  N.  C,  January  11  fh,  1885, 

THE  DEATH  OF 

Rev.  Jas.  M.  Sprunt,  D.  D., 

Bif 

PETER  IVIclNTYRE. 

"My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  thereof." 

UCH  is  to  be  learned  from  the  Bible  of  the  death  scenes 
of  its  characfbers — mourning,  sad  wailing,  gleams  of  hope, 
full  assurance  of  immortality. 

In  the  5th  chapter  of  . Genesis  we  read,  "All  the  days  of 
Adam  were  nine  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  he  died;  the 
days  of  Seth  nine  hundred  and  twelve  years,  and  he  died; 
Enos  nine  hundred  and  five  years,  and  he  died;  Cainan  nine 
hundred  and  ten  years,  and  he  died;"  and  thus  and  thus  the 
list  goes  on,  each  one  ending  with  '^and  he  dieciy  No  word 
here  of  heaven,  no  glimpse  of  what  is  beyond. 

We  read,  again,  that  '* Abraham  gave  up  the  ghost  and 
died  in  a  good  old  age,  an  old  man  and  full  of  years,  and  was 
gathered  to  his  people."  Here,  again,  though  the  founder  of 
the  Jewish  Church,  we  have  in  this  death  nothing  of  immor- 
tality. 

But  very  early  in  the  Sacred  History  we  are  given  a 
glimpse  of  a  future  existence:  "Enoch  walked  with  God  and 
he  was  not,  for  God  took  him." 

Coming  a  little  way  nearer  ourselves,  down  Time's  steady 
river,  we  reach  the  death  of  Moses.  The  sage,  the  warrior, 
the  law-giver,  the  prophet,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty,  with  his  eye  undimmed  and  his  natural  force  una- 


4 


bated,  laid  him  down  to  die  and  the  people  lamented  him 
thirty  days.  What  wonder  !  Their  trust,  their  staff  was  re- 
moved. He  who  had  never  failed  them  in  their  direst  dis- 
tress, w^ho  had  borne  with  their  murmurings,  who  had  led 
them  from  the  land  of  bondage,  who  had  secret  converse  with 
their  God,  who  received  laws  for  the  people  diredl  from  the 
Omnipotent,  dead!    What  wonder  that  they  lamented. 

Joshua  dead!  The  bold  warrior  who  drove  out  the  enemy 
and  gave  Israel  a  home,  and  the  people  lamented  for  him. 

Samuel  dead!  A  pure  man,  pure  from  his  infancy, — the 
only  upright  among  a  corrupt  priesthood — a  judge  to  the 
people,  a  leader  in  stormy  times — dead!  And  the  people 
gathered  together  and  lamented  for  him. 

A  royal  prince,  David's  son,  dead!  The  King,  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes,  prays  for  the  recovery  of  his  child,  but  he  dies, 
and  David  says,  "Wherefore  should  I  fast?  Can  I  bring  him 
back  again  ?  I  shall  go  to  him  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me." 
A  darker  death  is  in  the  same  family:  This  time  the  cry  of 
David,  the  afflidled,  is,  "O,  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son! 
Would  God  I  had  died  for  thee,  my  son,  my  son." 

Abner  dead,  and  the  King  says:  "Know  ye  not  that  there 
is  a  prince  and  a  great  man  fallen  this  day?" 

Dorcas  dead,  and  the  women  stood  round  showing  the  gar- 
ments she  had  made,  and  telling  of  the  good  deeds  she  had 
done,  and  lamenting  her  departure. 

Lazarus  dead!  See  Mary  weeping  in  the  house!  see  Martha 
sobbing  on  the  highway!  See  the  tears  that  fall  from  the 
Saviour's  eyes,  and  fall  at  the  foot  of  the  sepulchre! 

Christ  himself  dead!  The  earth  trembles;  the  hills 
are  shaken  to  their  base,  and  the  sun  hides  in  darkness.  The 
hope  of  the  little  band  of  disciples  taken  away  and  they 
in  despair  until  the  messenger  returns  with  the  glorious  news 
that  He  is  not  dead  but  risen  again. 

From  these  instances,  my  friends,  we  can  draw  much  com- 


5 


fort  when  called  upon  to  mourn  the  death  of  some  dear  friend. 
The  mourning  of  the  people  for  their  leaders,  the  lamenta- 
tions of  David,  and  his  hopes  of  future  reunion,  the  tender 
recolledlions  of  Dorcas;  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  and,  above! 
all,  the  resurrediion  of  Jesus,  strike  in  our  hearts  sympathetic 
chords,  and  console  us  in  our  bereavement. 

To-day,  my  friends,  we  are  called  upon  to  bewail  the  death 
of  our  dear  pastor,  the  Rev.  James  M.  Sprunt.  This  is  the 
first  time  since  his  death  that  we,  his  flock,  have  met  together 
in  this  house,  where  so  oft  we  listened  to  his  words  of  truth 
and  peace,  and  were  comforted. 

Remembering  all  that  he  was  to  us,  the  great  confidence 
and  trust  that  we  reposed  in  him,  the  joy  we  felt  in  his  min- 
istry and  the  destitution  in  which  his  death  has  left  us,  we 
lament  him  with  sorrow  akin  to  the  woe  of  the  people  for  their 
law-giver  Moses,  their  warrior  Joshua,  their  pure  priest  and 
prophet,  Samuel.  Lament  him  as  David  did  when  he  cried, 
"Know  ye  not  that  a  prince  and  a  great  man  is  fallen  this  day 
in  Israel."  Lament  him  for  his  good  works  as  was  Dorcas 
bewailed.  The  tender  ties  of  friendship  that  caused  sorrow 
at  the  death  of  Lazarus  cause  us  like  sorrow  to-day. 

But  more  appropriate  to  us,  perhaps,  than  any  of  these  pas- 
sages cited  is  the  lamentation  of  Elisha  for  Elijah,  "My 
father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen 
thereof!"  You  doubtless  remember  the  circumstances  of 
Elijah's  departure — how  he  and  his  servant  and  disciple, 
Elisha,  together  crossed  the  Jordan ;  how  Elijah  vainly  per- 
suaded his  follower  not  to  cross  over;  how  that  follower  per- 
sisted in  remaining  with  him  to  the  last;  how  a  chariot  and 
horses,  bright  with  the  effulgence  of  heaven,  took  Elijah  up- 
ward and  left  Elisha  alone,  gazing  after  the  wonderful  sight 
and  crying,  "My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and 
the  horsemen  thereof" 

What,  my  brethren,  is  there  in  the  cry  of  this  solitary  He- 


6 


brew,  alone  in  the  wilderness,  and  what  in  it  can  we  make 
applicable  to  our  situation  and  in  unison  with  our  feelings 
to-day? 

:  We  hear  in  this  the  cry  of  bereavement,  of  sorrowing 
afflidlion,  at  the  severing  of  the  strong  chord  of  parental  at- 
tachment. Elijah  had  indeed  been  a  father  to  Elisha.  Both 
were  prophets,  exponents  of  the  Word  of  God.  They  lived 
together  and  held  mutual  communion  with  God.  Elijah 
was  old,  experienced,  had  tested  once  and  again  the  eternal 
truths  of  his  Heavenly  King,  knew  the  strength  that  comes 
from  trust  in  Him,  realized  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart.  Elisha  was  young,  inexperienced,  impatient,  in- 
clined at  times  to  doubt  and  murmer.  The  elder  man  had 
come  through  all  these  trials  and  had  triumphed.  Who  bet- 
ter could  advise,  comfort,  sustain,  teach  his  young  friend? 
Who  better  could  point  out  to  him  the  way  upward  ?  Strong, 
deep  aijd  tender  must  have  been  the  association  of  the  two. 

The  Rev.  J.  M.  Sprunt  was  tons  a  father  like  unto  Elijah. 
He  had  himself  striven  through  all  the  perplexities  and  vicis- 
situdes of  the  Christian  life,  and  had  reached  that  point  where — 

As  some  tall  cliff  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 
Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midwa}'  leaves  the  storm, 
Though  round  its  breast  the  rolling  clouds  are  spread, 
Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  its  head. 

Which  of  us  that  had  doubts  and  took  them  to  him  but  had 
them  removed  ?  Which  of  us  that  had  perplexities  and  told 
him  of  them  but  had  them  brushed  away  ?  Hath  he  not 
often  encouraged  you,  strengthened  you,  enlightened  you, 
pacified  you?  Ye  older  members  of  his  flock,  who  have 
known  his  worth  these  many  years,  and  to  whom  he  was  as 
an  elder  brother;  ye  young  adherents  of  his,  drawn  to  the 
Christ  he  loved  by  the  sweetness  and  earnestness  of  his  plead- 
ing, can  you  not,  each  one  of  you,  with  truth  cry  as  did 
Elisha  of  old,  "My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel 
and  the  horsemen  thereof  ? 


7 

Besides  this  personal  bereavement  we  gather  from  our  text 
national  loss :  '  'the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  thereof. ' ' 
Time  and  again  had  Elijah  heroically,  undauntedly  a,nd 
alone,  risen  up  for  the  salvation  of  his  people.  Sometimes, 
when  they  were  assailed  by  heathen  foes,  he  had  wrought 
them  deliverance.  Sometimes,  when  they  forsook  their  God 
and  brought  upon  them  the  displeasure  of  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,  he  had  brought  them  back  to  a  better  state  of  heart. 
He  had  delivered  them  by  a  mighty  miracle  (by  the  calling  of 
fire  from  heaven)  from  the  worship  of  the  beastly  Baal.  He 
had  restored  their  dead  to  life,  and  fed  their  widowed  ones. 
He  had  taught  them  pure  religion  and  undefiled. 

Does  not  the  similitude  again  strike  you — the  likeness  be- 
tween this  man  and  our  dead  pastor?  Heroic  and  undaunted, 
can  you  not,  some  of  you  at  least,  see  him  on  the  battle  field, 
caring  for  the  wounded,  comforting  the  dying — hesitating  not 
to  encounter  danger  where  good  might  be  done  ?  Do  you  not 
remember  how,  at  home,  he  rebuked  vice  and  dishonesty, 
both  public  and  private;  how  an  unclean,  a  dishonorable 
thing  sought  to  hide  itself  from  him  abashed;  how  to  all 
within  his  acquaintance,  both  inside  and  without  his  own 
particular  Church,  he  was  a  standard,  and  a  high  one,  of 
honor,  truth,  purity,  knowledge,  goodness  and  charity  ? 

Then  might  we  not  also  speak  of  his  usefulness  to  his 
county  in  the  public  office  which  he  so  long  and  so  well  filled  ? 
His  clear  intelle6l  and  extensive  learning,  freely  given  to 
all  who  sought,  but  especially  to  the  needy,  the  illiterate  and 
the  befogged,  saved  to  many  such  time,  money,  property  and 
harrassing  anxiety.  Public  loss,  great  and  irreparable,  comes 
from  the  heart  of  Blisha.  Public  loss,  great  and  irreparable, 
is  felt  in  our  hearts,  as  once  more  we  repeat,  ^'My  father,  my 
father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  thereof" 

I  know  that  this  church  session  and  the  officers  of  this  con- 
gregation, to  whom  he  was  a  stay  and  bulwark  in  time  of 


difficulty,  an  expounder  of  law  and  order,  a  leader  whom  it 
was  very  safe  to  follow,  can  truthfully  from  their  hearts  make 
my  text  their  lamentation.  I  feel  that  every  communicant 
and  every  one  baptized  by  him,  realizing  that  from  his  hands 
they  can  no  more  partake  of  the  sacred  symbols,  no  more  hear 
his  earnest  invitation  to  "Drink  ye  all  of  it,"  must  also  take 
up  the  mournful  wail  as  their  own.  I  judge  that  every  one 
who  listened  to  his  preaching,  now  that  his  voice  is  silent 
forever,  now  that  no  more  from  his  pure  lips  can  they  hear 
words  of  invitation,  pleadings,  warnings,  love  and  peace — 
words  fit  to  stir  the  soul  to  its  utmost  depths  and  calm  it  into 
the  stillness  and  rest  of  a  sweet  summer  eve;  words  that 
wounded  but  also  healed;  words  that  showed  the  danger  but 
also  the  way  of  escape — cannot  but  sympathize  deeply  with 
the  lone  Elisha:  "My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel 
and  the  horsemen  thereof." 

And,  moreover,  the  great  beauty  of  the  man — the  thing, 
perhaps,  to  be  more  admired  in  him  than  aught  else — the  par 
excellence  of  his  life,  is  that  he  became  to  us  all  that  he  was, 
and  yet  is  more,  much  more,  by  his  condu6l,  his  secret,  silent 
influence,  than  by  his  words.  He  was  no  babbler,  no  shouter, 
not  given  to  rn^uch  speaking,  nor  extraordinary  and  doubtful 
methods  of  revivalism.  He  was  no  chattering,  noisy  brook, 
nor  thundering  cascade,  but  a  river,  deep,  broad,  peaceful, 
fruitful,  silently  bearing  on  its  bosom  much  bread,  to  be  re- 
turned to  it  in  eternity. 

But  we  cannot  express  what  we  feel  concerning  this  much 
loved  pastor  of  ours;  we  can  but  weep. 

Weep,  Church  of  Union,  weep  for  one 

Who  long  hath  been  your  light,  your  sun; 

His  God  hath  ta'en  him  home  to  rest, 

To  mansions  of  the  pure,  the  blest. 

Weep  o'er  him,  shed  for  him  the  tear 

That  all  must  shed  o'er  the  great  man's  bier  ; 

Pay  to  his  memory  that  respe<ft 


9 


That  from  each  heart  Love  must  dire(5l. 

His  was  the  heart  of  love,  to  feel 

His  own  in  his  brother's  woe  or  weal. 

His  life  was  as  pure  as  the  morning  dew; 

His  friendship  steady,  and  strong  and  true  ; 

His  a  hand  to  succor,  a  voice  to  cheer 

The  needy  lot — the  lot  that  was  dear. 

Massive  of  brain,  his  mind  could  soar 

From  height  to  height  in  Wisdom's  lore; 

From  peak  to  peak  of  the  vast  expanse 

His  depth  of  thought  did  much  enhance 

His  work  of  doing  what  good  he  might — 

Life  to  the  dead,  to  the  blind  giving  sight ! 

Steady  his  light,  as  a  planet,  burned — 

To  him  the  fearful,  doubting,  turned. 

And  never  failed  from  his  lips  to  drink 

Words  of  life,  from  which  doubt  would  shrink, 

And  despair  flee  away,  as  the  mists  of  night 

Flee  from  the  glorious  morning  light. 

A  stream  in  the  desert  of  life  he  was; 

Of  blooming  flowers,  the  source,  the  cause  ; 

A  tree  of  strength  around  which  clung 

The  fragile  ivy,  old  and  young. 

A  song  of  Peace  from  the  God  of  Love  ; 

Wise  as  a  serpent,  a  harmless  dove. 

Weep,  Church  of  L^nion,  mourn  again, 

The  stream  hath  gone,  the  deserts  remain  ; 

The  tree  hath  fallen,  the  song  of  peace 

Is  sung  in  the  Land  of  the  Soul's  release. 

To  him  a  jeweled  crown  is  given  ; 

To  him  and  to  all  who  like  him  hath  striven 

To  show  to  man  the  path  to  God. 

Weep  o'er  him  once,  as  'neath  the  sod 

We  place  him.    Drop  again  a  tear 

For  this  good  man's  life,  this  good  man's  bier. 


Tribute  of  Respect. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  session  of  Union  Church,  held  to-day, 
the  following  resolutions  were  adopted: 

Whereas,  It  hath  pleased  God,  in  His  great  providence,  to  take  from 
our  midst  our  beloved  pastor,  the  Rev.  J.  M.  .Sprunt,  D.  D.  ; 

Resolved,  That  his  death  has  fallen  heavily  upon  us,  the  mem- 
bers and  congregation  of  Union  Church.  Pastor  of  this  church  from  1851 
he  went  in  and  out  among  us,  working  with  an  eye  single  to  the  glory  of 
God.  One  and  all  we  loved  him  as  a  friend,  as  a  pastor  and  as  a  father.  We 
can  never  forget  his  zeal  and  earnestness  in.  presenting  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  It  was  indeed  a  blessed  privilege  to  sit  at  his  feet  and  hear  from 
his  sweet  lips  the  "Whosoever  will."  His  great  heart  had  room  in  it  for  all. 
His  wonderful  purity  of  life  and  purpose  was  indeed  a  "bright  and  shining 
light."  Remembering  his  wisdom,  his  knowledge,  his  wonderful  abnega- 
tion of  .self,  his  great  love  and  sympathy  for  mankind,  we  can  but  exclaim, 
"Behold  a  just  man  and  a  perfedl ;"  "Behold  a  lamb  of  the  fold  of  God." 

Resolved,  That  we  do  herein  bear  testimony  to  the  great  worth  of  our  de- 
parted shepherd,  to  the  love  and  esteem  in  which  he  was  universally  held, 
to  the  loss  that  we,  his  congregation,  with  others,  suffer  in  his  death,  and  to 
the  hope  of  meeting  him  before  the  pure  white  throne. 

Resolved,  That  our  tenderest  sympathies  are  given  to  the  mourning  family 
and  relatives  of  the  deceased,  and  kindred  feelings  of  deep  sorrow  extended 
to  the  congregations  of  Kenansville  and  Mt.  Zion  churches,  who,  with  us, 
lament  his  death. 

Resolved,  That  copies  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  the  bereaved  family 
and  to  the  churches  of  Kenansville  and  Mt.  Zion,  and  that  they  be  entered 
on  the  minutes  of  this  church,  and  also  that  they  be  published  in  the 
A^.  C.  Presbyterian. 

I.  R.  FAISON,  Clerk  pro  tem.  of  Session  of  Union  Ch. 
Faison,  N.  C,  December  14,  1884. 


{From  the  N.  C.  P)-esbytertan.] 

Death  OF  Dr.  J.  M.  Sprunt. 

Rev.  James  M.  Sprunt,  D.  D.,  died  at  his  home  in  Kenansville,  N.  C,  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  6th  inst. 

He  was  born  on  the  14th  of  January,  ]8i8,  at  Perth,  Scotland.  His  educa- 
tion was  obtained  in  Edinburgh.  In  1835  he  sailed  for  the  West  Indies,  and 
there  spent  a  few  years  in  mercantile  pursuits.  Here,  doubtless,  he  acquired 
those  habits  of  business-like  accuracy  which  so  much  increased  his  efficiency 
in  higher  service.  In  1839  he  came  to  Wilmington,  and  soon  after  com- 
menced teaching  in  Duplin  and  Onslow  counties.  Successively  he  became 
principal  of  Grove  Academy  at  Kenansville  and  Kenansville  Female  Insti- 
tute. Himself  a  thorough  scholar  he  became  a  most  successful  teacher.  But 
the  master  had  for  him  yet  higher  work:  In  1850  he  was  licensed  by  Fayette- 
\'ille  Presbytery  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  soon  after  he  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled pastor  of  Grove  church.  Afterward  he  bacame  pastor  of  Union  church. 
Early  in  the  war  between  the  States  he  accompanied  the  young  men  of  his 
charge  to  the  battlefield  and  remained  in  the  service  of  the  Confederacy  as 
chaplain  until  compelled,  near  the  close  of  the  war,  to  return  home  an  invalid. 

The  piety  of  Dr.  Sprunt  was  of  that  kind  we  associate  with  the  life  of  the 
beloved  disciple.  It  was  a  piety  that  bespoke  the  true  humility  of  soul  that 
comes  of  love  for  the  Saviour  ;  a  piety  that  shed  a  mellow  radiance  around 
his  path.  The  striking  characteristic  of  his  nature  indeed  was  modesty, 
real,  unaffected;  of  anything  like  self-assertion  he  was  incompetent.  For  him 
nature  made  easy  what  grace  made  a  delight,  in  honor  to  prefer  all  others. 

Dr.  Sprunt  as  an  elocutionist  was  peerless.  His  voice  was  rich  and  soft, 
and  his  reading  of  hymns  and  of  the  Scripture  was  as  if  of  inspiration.  His 
precision  of  thought  and  accuracy  of  expression  without  a  trace  of  stiffness 
or  pedantry  were  notable.  His  sermons  were  logical  in  arrangement  and 
forceful  in  strength  and  originality  of  ideas.  His  prayers  and  his  sermons 
were  enriched  with  a  profusion  of  Scriptural  quotations  always  apposite, 
never  strained  or  forced  into  association.  His  power  of  adaptation  of  the 
words  of  the  Spirit  to  convey  the  heavenly  message  was  indeed  marvellous  ; 
it  told  of  a  mind  to  which  those  words  were  treasure,  and  a  heart  to  which 
they  were  delight. 

As  a  Presbyter  Dr.  Sprunt  was  in  the  front  rank.  His  views  were  seldom 
expressed  at  any  length,  but  they  were  always  weighty  and  wise.  In 
Presbytery  the  precision  of  thought  of  which  we  have  spoken  was  often 
brought  into  good  account  in  the  preparation  of  resolutions  or  of  papers  re- 
quiring the  strictest  accuracy. 


12 

One  peculiarity  apart  from  his  great  mission  it  seems  allowable  to  note, 
and  the  more  that  its  refining  and  softening  influence  may  have  largely  con- 
tributed to  efficiency  in  his  life's  work.  His  love  for  flowers  was  intense  ; 
the  taste  was  innate,  and  from  childhood  was  cultivated  with  delight.  As  a 
botanist  he  deserves  a  name  among  the  foremost.  To  his  study  and  efforts  the 
domestic  flora  owes  new  varieties  known  throughout  the  Union,  and  among 
botanists,  doubtless,  throughout  the  world.  But  here,  as  everywhere,  his 
shrinking  nature  made  him  content  to  be  unknown,  in  the  sense  of  being 
prominently  known,  beyond  the  sphere  of  his  own  nearest  friends. 

But  wherever  Br.  SprunT  was  known  he  was  beloved.  And  this  is  the 
testimony,  after  all,  that  tells  his  great  worth.  His  first  ministerial  charge 
was  his  life-charge  and  his  last.  Among  the  people  that  he  loved,  and  by 
whom  he  was  so  much  beloved,  he  lived  and  labored,  and  by  them  was  laid 
to  his  earthly  rest. 


[From  the  Wilmington  Review. '[ 

Death  of  an  Eminent  Divine. 

Rev.  JAmks  M.  Sprunt,  D.  D.,  died  at  his  home  in  Kenansville,  Duplin 
county,  at  about  5  o'clock  last  Saturday  night,  aged  66  years.  The  cause  of 
his  death  was  an  aggravated  case  of  dyspepsia,  a  disease  with  which  he  had 
suffered  for  more  than  a  year.  He  had,  however,  continued  his  labors  until 
within  the  past  few  weeks.  In  fact  it  was  onl}'  six  weeks  ago  that  he  was  in 
the  city,  looking  and  feeling  remarkably  well,  so  that  he  thought  he  was  in 
a  fair  way  of  recovery.  The  deceased  was  born  near  Edinburgh,  Scotland, 
and  was  educated  at  the  famed  University  of  Edinburgh.  He  came  to 
America  in  1845,  although  previous  to  that  time  he  had  travelled  extensively 
in  the  West  Indies.  Upon  his  arrival  in  this  country  he  proceeded  directly 
to  Kenansville,  where  he  always  lived  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  and 
where  he  married  and  built  him  a  home.  For  many  years  he  was  engagad 
in  teaching,  a  vocation  in  which  he  was  eminently  successful.  It  was  while 
thus  engaged  that  he  prepared  himself  for  the  ministry.  As  a  Christian 
minister  he  was  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Kenansville  from  the 
time  of  his  ordination  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

The  deceased  was  a  brother  of  the  late  Mr.  Alex.  Sprunt  of  this  city,  and 
leaves  a  family  of  four  daughters,  three  of  whom  are  married,  and  two  sons 
— Mr.  N.  H.  Sprunt,  formerly  in  business  in  this  city  but  now  residing 
at  Kenansville,  and  Mr.  J.  E.  Sprunt  of  this  city.  His  wife,  a  most 
amiable  woman,  died  several  years  since.  During  the  war  the  deceased  was 
chaplain  of  the  20th  North  Carolina  Infantry,  and  did  efficient  and  faithful 
service  in  that  position. 


13 


Rev.  Dr.  vSprunt  was  a  profound  scholar  in  belles  lettres  literature  as  well 
as  in  the  claSvSics.  Besides  I^atin,  Greek  and  Hebrew  he  spoke  the  French 
and  Spanish  languages  with  ease  and  fluency.  He  was  an  excellent  bota- 
nist and  took  much  delight  in  the  cultivation  and  propagation  of  rare  and 
beautiful  plants  and  flowers.  In  his  disposition  he  was  singularly  modest 
and  retiring,  and  in  conversation  he  was  interesting  and  instructive.  He 
was  an  earnest,  devout  and  conscientious  Christian  teacher,  and  was  beloved 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  Register  of  Deeds  of  Duplin  county  for 
many  years,  a  trust  which  he  discharged  with  the  most  rigid  fidelity.  His 
presence,  his  influence  for  good  and  his  pious  Christian  teachings  will  be 
sadly  missed  by  those  who  have  so  long  known  and  loved  him. 


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